How far is Rochester Hills, MI from South Lyon, MI?

The driving distance from Rochester Hills, MI to South Lyon, MI is about 40 miles (64.4 km), with a travel time of about 00h 58m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 29 miles (46.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 56m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
40.05 mi
00h 58m
Flight
28.96 mi
46.6 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Rochester Hills.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
28.96 mi
Kilometers
46.6 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
40.05 mi
Kilometers
64.45 km
Drive Time
00h 58m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 58m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in South Lyon
Wed, Apr 29, 6:34 PM EDT
Return by in Rochester Hills
Wed, Apr 29, 7:32 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Rochester Hills
2026-04-29T17:36
Arrive South Lyon
Wed, Apr 29, 6:34 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 58m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:58 AM to 10:58 AM EDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:34 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Rochester Hills
9:30 PM EDT
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Franklin
MI

City in Michigan, USA

From Rochester Hills
20 mi
00h 29m
To South Lyon
20.1 mi
00h 29m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
46°F
Overnight

Isolated Rain Showers

Starts
Wed, Apr 29 4:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 mph NNE
Destination
45°F
Overnight

Scattered Rain Showers

Starts
Wed, Apr 29 2:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 mph N

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Rochester Hills and South Lyon.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Rochester Hills and South Lyon.

  1. 1

    Start on Dickson Lane

    1164 ft · 53 sec · Dickson Lane

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Downhill Lane

    115 m · 18 sec · Downhill Lane

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Dressler Lane

    60 m · 14 sec · Dressler Lane

  4. 4

    Turn left onto South Livernois Road

    1426 ft · 27 sec · South Livernois Road

  5. 5

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward West Hamlin Road

    5 m · 1 sec · West Hamlin Road

  6. 6

    Exit the roundabout onto West Hamlin Road

    1 mi · 2 min · West Hamlin Road

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Crooks Road

    1860 ft · 38 sec · Crooks Road

  8. 8

    Take the ramp right toward M 59 West: Pontiac

    2867 ft · 1 min

  9. 9

    Merge slight left

    3 mi · 3 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward I 75 South: Detroit

    1447 ft · 49 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left

    1.6 mi · 2 min

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward I 75 Business

    1 km · 42 sec

  13. 13

    Continue straight

    1.5 mi · 2 min

  14. 14

    Continue on West Square Lake Road

    1.3 mi · 2 min · West Square Lake Road

  15. 15

    Merge slight left onto South Telegraph Road

    573 ft · 10 sec · South Telegraph Road

  16. 16

    Take the exit left

    42 m · 13 sec

  17. 17

    Turn sharp left onto South Telegraph Road

    7.7 mi · 12 min · South Telegraph Road

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward I 696 West, M 10 North: Lansing, Northwestern Highway

    777 ft · 19 sec

  19. 19

    Keep slight left to continue on I 696 West: Lansing

    1111 ft · 38 sec

  20. 20

    Merge slight left onto Walter P Reuther Freeway

    8.6 mi · 9 min · Walter P Reuther Freeway

  21. 21

    Merge slight right

    2.9 mi · 3 min

  22. 22

    Take the exit slight right toward Beck Road, Novi

    1770 ft · 43 sec

  23. 23

    Keep slight left to continue on Beck Road South, Novi

    539 ft · 15 sec

  24. 24

    Turn straight onto Beck Road

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Beck Road

  25. 25

    Turn right onto West 10 Mile Road

    2 mi · 3 min · West 10 Mile Road

  26. 26

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward 10 Mile Road

    32 m · 2 sec · 10 Mile Road

  27. 27

    Exit the roundabout onto 10 Mile Road

    4.5 mi · 7 min · 10 Mile Road

  28. 28

    Continue on East Lake Street

    2709 ft · 1 min · East Lake Street

  29. 29

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West Lake Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Rochester Hills and South Lyon.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
29 steps
11 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
15
5 merges, 10 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
72.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Walter P Reuther Freeway
11.6 mi · 29%
South Telegraph Road
7.88 mi · 20%
10 Mile Road
4.52 mi · 11%
M 59 West
3.54 mi · 9%
Beck Road
2.27 mi · 6%
I 75 Business
2.16 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Walter P Reuther Freeway

Merge slight left onto Walter P Reuther Freeway

8.64 mi · 00h 09m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
00h 58m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 56m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+11 mi
29 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Franklin
00h 29m from Rochester Hills
Leave By
4:34 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Isolated Rain Showers leaving Rochester Hills and Scattered Rain Showers near South Lyon.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Rochester Hills to South Lyon?

The road trip is about 40 miles (64.4 km) and usually takes 00h 58m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Franklin is a useful midpoint, sitting about 20 miles from Rochester Hills and 20.1 miles from South Lyon.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 29 miles (46.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 11 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:34 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.32 one way or $10.63 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 12.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Isolated Rain Showers around Rochester Hills and Scattered Rain Showers near South Lyon.

Stop Ideas Near Franklin

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Franklin, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Franklin.

RAIL

Birmingham, Michigan

9 mi away
449 South Eton St.
RAIL

Troy Transit Center

10 mi away
1201 Doyle Drive
RAIL

Pontiac Transportation Center

12 mi away
51000 Woodward Avenue
RAIL

Royal Oak station

13 mi away
202 South Sherman Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Rochester Hills and South Lyon. Straight-line distance: 28.96 mi (46.6 km).

Rochester Hills

#1 Rochester Hills

A city in Oakland County, Michigan.

Population74,111
Coordinates42.6583700, -83.1499300
Altitude251
CountryUnited States
South Lyon

#2 South Lyon

City in southwestern Oakland County in the U.

Population11,846
Coordinates42.4605900, -83.6516100
Altitude282
CountryUnited States
Start: Rochester Hills (-83.14993, 42.65837)
End: South Lyon (-83.65161, 42.46059)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 64 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 20m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 00m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 48m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 40m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 34m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 29m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.41 gal
5.35 L · about $5.32
Round trip
$10.63
2.82 gal · 10.7 L
Estimated CO2
12.5 kg one way
Round trip: 25.1 kg / 55 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $5.32 $10.63
Mid-grade $4.25 $6.00 $11.99
Premium $4.65 $6.56 $13.12
Diesel $5.30 $7.48 $14.96

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Michigan · Apr 29, 2026

There is no time difference between Rochester Hills and South Lyon. The current time is 17:36:18.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.